Art Quilts Around the World

First challenge 2012

2012-01-03T17:30:00.001+10:00

Time for a new challenge:

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

Try to put all of this in a quiltlet, size is free and Í'd like to see them all at March 31st.
Good luck, Simone.

Other place, Other time

2012-01-01T16:55:00.005+10:00

This quiltlet is a memory quilt of some of the trips (other places) I have been fortunate enough to go on this year. The central picture is an art photo by Gerhard Hillman of "naturesfaceart" http://www.naturesface.com.au/, that he printed onto silk. I bought a huge pile of these small works of art at his market stall in Cairns in November. I discussed with him turning these into quilts, and also bought a length of fabric printed in his unique imagery.

The surrounding pale fabrics I eco - dyed during a work / family trip to the Northern Territory in September. During the day I would collect leaf fall (with permission), and, at night, prepare the dye bundles in vinegar as per India Flint's instructions in her luscious book "Eco-dying". Each piece of silk fabric is thus a reminder and reflection of a particular days journey through Darwin, Kakadu, Litchfield Park or Alice Springs. Best souvenirs I have ever brought back from a trip! These pieces are actually the less successful - I am going to make a different quilt with the more vibrant pieces.

The basic quilt construction and free-motion quilting technique was inspired by an article by Jenny Bowker in Machine Quilting Unlimited - an artist deservedly recognised for her fabulous quilts depicting life in "Other places". She suggested using the pattern of a printed piece of fabric, such as a floral, as the basis of a free-motion quilting design and then extending this into a plain surround.

The botanical diagram is torn from my old favourite "Web of Life" textbook (paper). The leaves are from cheap artificial flowers. I am claiming them as plastic, although I am not sure exactly what they are made of - certainly not silk, but something synthetic. The spine and stem were definitely plastic, anyway.

The trip to Kakadu in particular inspired the title of the quiltlet - one of the most amazing places I have ever experienced.

Dragon Reflections in Another Place

2012-01-01T12:20:00.007+10:00

I am an avid reader of fantasy fiction. As a child I was immersed in the Land of OZ series by LF Baum. Not only did I love the stories but I marveled at the fantastic illustrations of John R. Neill. Later I traveled with Ursula Le Guin to Earthsea and Anne McCaffrey to meet the Dragon Riders of Pern.

The idea of a dragon theme quilt came to me immediately. Trying to figure out how to incorporate plastic and paper into this project kept me from starting my quilt top for quite a while. I tried thinking in an abstract mixed media sense but kept coming back to my original theme. Once I had the idea of a reflecting pool it all came together.

The dragon reflection in the pool is drawn on card stock using colored pencils. I quilted the batik fabric then covered the dragon image with the plastic from a Ziploc Freezer Bag. I tried a cellophane type of bag first but the stitching perforated the plastic. The plastic in the freezer bag is very pliable and stands up well to the machine quilting.

I worked on the quilted dragon head separately. I drew the quilting details on the top fabric first using a pencil. Next I layered the top with batting and a muslin backing. I machine quilted the scales on the dragon head and neck. Once that was complete I applied Daler Rowney acrylic inks over the top of the quilting, a technique I have wanted to try for a long time. The inks covered the pencil lines, toned down the turquoise blue quilting thread and added a vibrant shimmer to the dragon. I added 2 more layers of batting under the dragon's head to give it more dimension. The head is appliqued it in place using a straight stitch.

Lynn Cohen's "Other Place"

2011-12-31T23:59:00.034+10:00

My last quilt was "Barcelona" and I showed my passing through Barcelona on my way to Israel. So the obvious "Other Place" for me was to follow up with a quilt depicting my five years living in Israel from 1961 - 1966. I was a young woman of 20 when I arrived there; I went for five weeks, which turned into five years. I met my husband to be at the second Kibbutz I stayed at. We married four months later. It seemed much longer. I learned to live the very quiet small farm collective life and was happy there for two years. We got pregnant on a visit home to California, returned and gave birth in Israel. Things got difficult when I had to leave my baby in the "Baby House" and have him raised mostly by women whose job it was to work there, while I worked elsewhere on the Kibbutz. The babies and children slept in their house, not their parents house at night. This did not work for me at all. When my son turned 18 months I took a vacation with him to California. I decided not to go back; and my husband followed a few months later.
That's the story behind the quilt. I will give it to my son this month for Chanukah, as a memento of his first year in Israel. His homeland.

The quilt is built of papers I either copied from materials I had at home; or letters and other written materials I asked for and got from an Israeli woman artist I met on line. It's all in Hebrew of course, printed and hand written. Israeli stamps were a gift from her as well, along with the bus tickets and zip code stamps, letters and envelopes. I cut out an outline of an map of Israel and drew it on the back of a brown paper grocery bag.
I collaged my papers (including photos on paper) onto the bag with glue. I sandwiched it with batting and backing fabric (blue and white: the colors of the Israeli flag); with the machine I sewed it in crazy quilt style. Then I hand sewed wool yarn in a blanket stitch around the outside of the map. I added turquoise beads I got for $1 at Michael's. It's my first paper quilt; and first map shaped quilt too.

The whole map of the state of Israel.

The top of the map shows my arrival date in Israel. And what I looked like when I first arrived.

The middle of the map shows where we lived and where I married and gave birth.

It also shows me pregnant.

The last photo shows my then husband holding our baby son

not long before I brought him/them to California in '66.

I hope you enjoyed traveling back to me to this "Other Place"!

Another time another place

2011-12-31T21:22:00.001+10:00

A couple of weeks ago I went to an exhibition in a museum in The Hague. It was about Paris, city of modern art in1900-1960. Back then, when you were an artist, Paris was the place to be.
So my another place is Paris, where art changed and became more abstract.
The picture of the eiffeltower (1926) made by Robert Delaunay was resized on the computer before a copy was made. Then the copy was crumbled to make the paper more soft. Then it was ironed onto vlieseline.
So putting in paper was easy... My new technique was using plastic, and honestly: I dont think it was a great idea. Then machinequilting, and I added some paint. I am not totally done with it, but running out of time.
Best wishes for the new year to all of you!

Nazca Lines- Peru

2011-12-31T21:09:00.004+10:00

The Nazca Lines can be found 400km south of Lima, along the Peruvian coastline. I flew over them in 2005. "Stretching across 500 square kilometers, the lines were etched by the Nazca people using the simple technique of digging shallow ditches and piling the earth along the edges to a height of 30cm. Many of these lines stretched for hundreds of metres, creating a spectacular collection of figures featuring more than 13,000 lines representing 18 birds as well as figures like the dog, the iguana lizard, the spider, the killer whale, the shark, the monkey and others, some of them hundreds of metres long"
Modern researchers think this was done over a period of 800 years from 370BC.
No-one knows for sure what the drawings and lines mean but some theories are that they are messages to other worlds, sacred roads or precise astronomical maps. You can read more about the fascinating Nazca lines here...http://www.world-mysteries.com/mpl_1.htm or here.....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazca_Lines

Due to the fact my piece is brown with brown stitching, it doesn't photograph well.
The new (to me) technique I used is couching. I couched thread and a strip of plastic cut from a bag, the heavier line on the quilt which represents the Pan American Highway which passes through the Nazca Lines. Straight lines were done using various stitches. One of the figures, called The Hands, I free motion quilted. In real life The Hands is 45m long, one hand having 5 fingers, the other 4. The spiral too is free motion quilted. It is thought that the many spirals mark out where the ancient Nazca people built underground canals to irrigate the desert.
The paper I chose is an old dressmaking pattern, the lines on it precise and straight like the Nasca Lines and just the right colour. The paper was torn in pieces and adhered with gel medium (a plastic like glue). I did intend to do more stitching on top but my machine didn't like it, guess I need a teflon foot. I do like the crinkly textured effect that the tissue paper and gel medium gives and plan to do another Nazca Lines piece, next time doing more stitching before adding the paper and using a darker thread.
If you get a chance to go to South America, don't miss seeing the Nazca Lines.

another stampquilt

2011-12-31T20:02:00.002+10:00

My contribution to Another place.

I recycled all the stamps I received this last year.

They are treated gel medium so they are sewable ( new english word?) and netted with tule and then they are stitched in place.

Most stamps are from places I've never been, but a lot are from places I once visited and bring back lovely memories.

Have a great, inspiring new year with lots of time for your creativity, Simone.

Another place

2011-12-31T14:16:00.000+10:00

I haven't struggled with any of the previous challenges as much as with this one!
Another place... use paper... use plastic... use a new technique... pfff!
I thought and thought and was about to give up when, 2 days before we left on a 2 week holiday on Dec 24, I had an idea. I had about 1 hour to create my quilt, so it became a very small, postcard-sized piece.

Another place... is Tasmania - I have never been there yet, but would love to go. It's part of Australia, but it's literally a-part from Australia, and my idea is that it is quite different... I hope to be able to see it for myself soon!

The paper - is from an old atlas;
The new technique - is using paper in a quilt ;-) (yes, I'm cheating, I know)
The plastic - is absent, as I could not think of what to use...

I do like my little Tassie piece!

Another Place

2011-12-31T11:33:00.005+10:00

Top left hand corner showing some quilted script- new for me.

Another Place, all made with homespuns. I pieced the centre then appliqued three sides of the green bucket on. The bucket is throwing out an assortment of junk including a mesh, beer bottle tops, plastic rings etc. It is simply quilted with the message written in the yellow border. I have never made a quilt with homespuns or tried to write anything on a quilt before.

I am fairly happy with it.

... another place ... coral reef

2011-12-31T11:16:00.004+10:00

I paper pieced this block together - hadn't used this method before (or again).

And then laid decorative wool over the top, it didn't seem enough, so I sandwiched the wool between two layers of tulle, and quilted a swirling ocean; and then attached this over the top of the block.

If you look really hard, there is a pod of plastic whales in the background.

I am quite happy with my interpretation of ... another place ... coral reef.

Another Place - The Orient

2011-12-31T08:04:00.000+10:00

The last three months of this year have been very busy for us, three family weddings, one of them our eldest daughter. It has not left a lot of time for stitching or pursuing our own interests.

I have cheated a little with this challenge, I also used it in another group challenge titled 'The Orient.' Combining both challenges was the only way I could complete them both on time.

Using both paper and plastic had me thinking and I wasn't sure how to incorporate both into this project. The silver moon is made from recycled plastic coated card.

Do you take sugar in your tea?

2011-12-31T01:57:00.000+10:00

This is my quilt for another place. Drinking tea is very relaxing, it really takes you to 'another place'. Instead of using some paper, it is made entirely with paper, namely used tea bag envelopes. It also has some cording and a little plastic. It is not particularly clear on the picture, but it has a cup of tea and a teapot on it.

Another place- Jane

2011-12-31T01:00:00.003+10:00

another place

strips cut and ready to weave

woven and ready to cut into more strips

I saw an article on a technique in Cloth Paper Scissors about layering with "Contact" sticky clear film. I tried this with some printed maps, a layout of our favourite camp ground, fabric and a sheet of scrabble scores, but the end result was a bit bland, so I cut it up, then found the sheet of printed stone soup I did for our group project, cut that so I could weave the laminated strips through, layered with mnore contact to hold it all together, it did need to be heldtogether somehow! then cut that into strips. As it is Christmas I used some lovely red spotty fabric we had made a dress out of last year, and did a very traditional log cabin design, stitched onto some stabiliser.
The finished piece has names of some places I have been, some favourite spots and some I would like to go to soon - all machine quilted onto the surface.
This is all about keeping touch with your roots but also branching out, the log cabin is a favourite and a starting point for most quilters, and the different technique is a form of travelling to another place.
I left a hole in the middle and put my passport in there for the promise of things to come.

a hint

2011-12-23T12:29:00.001+10:00

A hint of things to come, I have actually finished early for a change, and am quite pleased with the result. What fun to try out a new technique, merry christmas to all, hope you are not all stuck in the kitchen on Sunday, but have lots of family and friends to have a great daywith, Jane

I have finally started ...

2011-12-16T09:46:00.002+10:00

I am definitely working to a deadline this time around.

Preview

2011-12-11T21:06:00.004+10:00

Here it is, a little teaser.

Marian.

"Another Place"... Hint ...by Lynn Cohen

2011-11-19T10:54:00.002+10:00

My hint is a little obvious as to which other "place", perhaps, but the something new in technique won't be evident until the unveiling end of December! I did start and finish it today. However the idea has been gelling for some time and parts gathering has taken over a month as well. Now back to knitting!

Next Challenge is.......

2011-10-02T21:43:00.003+10:00

....another place.....

Can be whatever size you are comfortable with and I would like you to use some paper and some plastic in your quilt top as well as a technique you haven't tried yet.

The gate to Park Güell

2011-10-02T20:15:00.002+10:00

Last months theme for Art quilts around the world was Barcelona. To me, Barcelona means Gaudi, the Sagrada Familia and lustrous mozaiks. Some browsing on the net yielded a nice picture of the mozaik on the gate to Park Güell, inspired by which I made this little quilt.

The colored blocks are my own batik fabrics, the white is an commercial white on white and it has been patched and quilted by machine. I broke four (!) needles on the outer yellow edge....

Barcelona in 1 hour

2011-10-02T13:38:00.000+10:00

So late, but done. It might get some tweaking over the next few days, but I have done it today in about 1 hour!

Inspired by Gaudi of course, and the building Casa Mila - with its curved features and what looks to be funky iron work. This is a very quickly made piece, but has the essence of an old dusty building with graceful soft lines- I hope!
The quilt has trapunto under some crinkled calico to give it an aged look, some machine quiting and then a bit of shiva oil sticks to give a patina type look.
The binding is bright blue, as many of the pictures I looked at had a brilliant blue sky.

Barcelona, Barcelona

2011-10-01T16:32:00.003+10:00

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Barcelona is its fantastic architecture (in the original sense of the word), especially the work of Gaudi. I played around with a number of concepts, such as reproducing a detail of one of the fabulous mosaics, but became a bit overwhelmed. I then contemplated the other end of the spectrum with the simplicity of Picasso's famous Dove sketch. However I returned to archicture and a modified skyline of the city landmarks superimposed on a crumpled and distorted map of the city centre, using overlapping organza and playing with colour.

This is a scanned copy as I don't have access to a camera at present, which has added to the distortion, as well creating the "swirls" in the organza reflection.

Peladillas

2011-10-01T14:30:00.000+10:00

My piece is called Peladillas, after the candy coated almonds that are a popular treat in Spain.

I have to admit that Barcelona isn’t a place that I’ve longed to visit. For this challenge I tried our old friend Google and looked at hundreds of images and also checked through all the pictures my daughter took while there last year . She was impressed (obsessed?) with the fresh food markets in the places she and her friends visited all over Europe, maybe as a cheap way of eating?

This is my interpretation of one of her photos.

Barcelona Mosaic

2011-10-01T11:54:00.004+10:00

Whilst searching through all the amazing pictures of art and architecture; it was the incredible mosaic work that fascinated me.

And I have wanted to make a whole cloth quiltlet for a while; as well as doing a project using the Derwent inktense pencils. This seemed like the perfect challenge to put all of this together.

So, I quilted the flower pattern, and then coloured it in.

I think ... I am happy with it. Nice and bright.

Barcelona

2011-10-01T11:13:00.003+10:00

I have never been to Spain, but Barcelona seems picturesque. In my research, growing citrus and fishing came up, as well as Gaudi and Miro. I decided to go with Miro.

Printed out a sheet of info on Miro's life on silk, laid this over an image of the city; used some citrus and fish print and some orange buttons for the right hand third, and interpreted some of Miro's work into ATC sized pieces, which I have added.

I am happy with the results.

In 1961 at the age of 20

2011-10-01T09:33:00.002+10:00

I passed through Barcelona after traveling by car from California to NY; by ship from NY to Malaga, Spain; by train from Malaga through Barcelona Spain...

from Barcelona to Marseille, France by train; where I boarded a small Greek Ship to Israel.

This is a letter I wrote to my parents about changing my plans regarding my travels to Europe, and going to Israel instead, first...

A five week trip to Israel turned into five years there, but that is an all together different story...but still the story of how it was I came to "pass through Barcelona"...

This art quilt is a simple process of iron on direct transferring of photos and journal excerpts to plain muslin cloth; using letter stamps, marking pens, machine sewing marking out my route, hand stitches of French knots and straight stitches; and buttons for added embellishments! Oh, the sweater I am wearing in that photo of me in Malaga, Spain I got in Mexico during another sojourn before this bigger trip began!

Thank you for this challenge that a led me down memory lane of my long ago youthful adventures! What fun, then and now!

The streets of Barcelona

2011-10-01T04:02:00.005+10:00

This is the map of Barcelona, although a simplefied version of it.

Marloes made this challenge a little bit harder for me, because she didn't allow me to use photographs, which I useally do for this group.

I hope to visit this magnificent city one day and know a little bit of the streetplan.

This song is in my head since I made this quiltlet:

the Dutch group The Nits are playing Sketches of Spain.

You have have to google yourself because I can't figure out how to get the video here.

Handdyed cotton, machine pieced and quilted.

Casa Mila Entryway - Chris

2011-09-30T22:00:00.006+10:00

I am fascinated by the works of Antoni Gaudi. His use of heavy structural elements against such delicate details intrigues me. When I started this challenge I had planned to create a project that focused on the colorful and delicate attributes of his buildings and the Park Guell. But my eyes kept drifting back to the structure, the incredible metalwork and columns supporting the viaducts of the Park Guell. I found my inspiration from a picture of the entrance doorway to Casa Mila (La Pedrera) taken at night. There was a warm glow of light coming from the building.

I created this piece on white cotton fabric using black Pigma markers, colored pencils and Jacquard Lumiere metallic gold paint. The quilting was done with Superior Threads black "Glitter", a holographic thread, and YLI invisible clear thread.

Joan Miro

2011-09-30T21:32:00.003+10:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Mir%C3%B3

"Earning international acclaim, his work has been interpreted as Surrealism, a sandbox for the subconscious mind, a re-creation of the childlike, and a manifestation of Catalan pride. In numerous interviews dating from the 1930s onwards, Miró expressed contempt for conventional painting methods as a way of supporting bourgeois society, and famously declared an "assassination of painting" in favour of upsetting the visual elements of established painting"

I really couldn't get into this theme. I thought about Gaudi, Bullfighting, the olympics and out of desperation settled on Miro. I painted some dampened fabric, then used freezer paper stencils for the primary coloured shapes, drew some lines with a black sharpie and stamped some swirls. Did some background quilting which immediately dulled the black sharpie lines so stitched over them in black, then added some green on some of the quilting lines with a sharpie. The piece is finished with a facing. I will try more fabric painting in the future and love the crisp edge achieved with the freezer paper stencil. The quilting is a bit dodgy as it was done on my ancient machine which I haven't used for ages (my daughter has borrowed my good machine - and wants to keep it :-)

Blue Rose

2011-09-30T21:11:00.001+10:00

My Barcelona quilt Blue Rose is inspired by Gaudí's Rose Window in the Sagrada Familía church:

(source: www.barcelona.de)

The quilt is made using the reverse applique technique, with turquoise handdyed cotton sateen from Dyed and Gone to Heaven behind black cotton. It is machine quilted and has a facing finish.

(cross-posted to Linda Robertus, textile art)

Tapies Barcelona

2011-09-30T14:07:00.002+10:00

One of Barcelona's famous artists is Antoni Tapies (see here) who has his own museum in Barcelona. He uses nature, coincidence, and thinking about coincidence. For example he used a lot of sand and sawdust mixed with paint on his canvas and this layer once dried up will burst. He painted with a wide variety of materials including cardboard, cloths, paper, threads.

So Tapies became my Barcelona inspiration, but there is so much more in Barcelona, it is so hard to choose. One of the famous buildings in Barcelona is the Sagrada Familia, a church they started building in 1882, and it is still not finished. So some of that, and some mosaics and some summer colors...

I started with an old cloth, and put a sleeve of a shirt on it. Accidental materials who just happen to be here. Then I used gesso and yellow paint and with a selfmade stencil I applied rectangles in red. (This is seen on my first blog about Barcelona.) Then I did some more stencilling in blue and painted with red and brown. In the right corner I glued a piece of paper from the museum of Antoni Tapies, in pieces like mosaic.On the left I cut off a big piece and put it back on upside down.

I used thin batting and quilted with graded pink-red thread.

In the left corner I made a black cross from black wool.

Barcelona Preview

2011-09-29T07:50:00.000+10:00

A little peak at my Barcelona quilt in progress. I love this challenge... but it was so hard to get started. I found this project had too many sources of inspiration. It took me a long time to be able to narrow my focus.

Looking forward to the end on the week for the reveal!

Chris

Barcelona sneak peek

2011-09-08T14:20:00.002+10:00

My Barcelona quilt is finished! Here is a sneak peek. Only three weeks till the unveiling of all the Barcelona quilts!

Barcelona teaser

2011-08-28T06:07:00.000+10:00

Yes my Barcelona quilt is finished, or almost. I thought it had to be done end of this month, but we have another month! In which I can think about how I will do the finishing touch. For now I leave you with a teaser picture.

Gaudi

2011-08-24T20:47:00.003+10:00

Casa Batllo (source: Wikipedia)

Although I really like the current theme, I had a hard time thinking of a concrete plan for my quilt. I have long wanted to go to Barcelona but so far haven't been there (and now that we've moved to Australia it isn't likely that I will be going there anytime soon).

One thing was clear though: for me Barcelona = Gaudi. So I started to google 'Gaudi' images and found lots and lots of inspiration. I used Pinterest to collect my favourite images on a Gaudi board - I can highly recommend this useful website!

I now have a plan for my quilt and hope to start on it very soon. To be continued!

PS Remember the album Gaudi by the Alan Parsons Project? I keep thinking of the song La Sagrada Familia. Here is a live performance on YouTube in case you don't know it.

late start

2011-08-20T22:02:00.000+10:00

It's been summer (sort of) and days flew by. So I just started my Barcelona quilt (will it be a quilt? I dont know yet). Here a glimpse of what I am doing.

Not Bragging, Just Saying...

2011-08-06T14:41:00.001+10:00

I'm pretty sure my "Barcelona" quilt is done! Added it's last button and stitch tonight!

2nd Hint...Barcelona Project...Moving right along...

2011-08-03T05:03:00.006+10:00

I would have gotten started sooner but our cat, Henry V, decided to take a nap on the muslin I had put out to use... He finally got up and I got some stamping and some transferring done...

Now: Let the quilting & embellishing begin!!!!

An Idea Is Born

2011-07-29T10:33:00.002+10:00

My only "hint" at this time for my Barcelona Art Quilt is: 1961

No photos yet!

Stay tuned!

My Animal Kingdom

2011-07-27T15:00:00.000+10:00

At last my Animal Kingdom is finished. Had a false start didn't like what I was doing so tossed it and had a re-think. This is my Animal Kingdom which will be part of a large quilted hanging that will be auctioned at a fundraiser in September.

The spaniel is made from silk/wool mix of fibres from Unique Stitching mixed with Angelina Fibres. Machine embroidery (thread painting) on dog and background. I think he looks like he's just had a bath.

Barcelona

2011-07-26T11:15:00.000+10:00

The new challenge has got me stumped, I keep on thinking of Spain, then comes to mind 'Manuel' the ditzy waiter from Fawlty Towers who came from Spain. So you can see I am am bit muddled! The thought will come soon, but word association is a powerful thing and can overpower even the strongest of us!

Barcelona beginnings

2011-07-23T15:12:00.002+10:00

A little sneak preview.

So, I have made a whole cloth 12 x 12" quiltet for this challenge.

A few finishing touches and I am done.

I am very busy at uni for this challenge, so I needed to get on with it early, or else I was going to run out of time. I am feeling very Lynn-like.

Animal Kingdom Teaser

2011-07-05T16:28:00.001+10:00

Sorry I am late with this, very irritated eyes, DH with the blues etc. etc

the colour is not right on this it is brown not red. Now I can go for longer than an hour without getting itchy eyes and having to wait until next lot of drops I can get more done. Having allergy tests after school holidays.

Next challenge

2011-07-03T18:10:00.000+10:00

Barcelona!

Have fun!

cat

2011-07-01T06:55:00.000+10:00

The cat was made using crayons and brusho paint on paper,

background is a linen blend with a piece of commercial cotton

quilting both hand and machine

Why can't zebras be orange?

2011-07-01T06:07:00.002+10:00

This was my original idea and I stuck with it, although in the beginning it was meant to be red, some randomly cut strips of orange put onto black, then some net over the top, randomly cut out! then some lovely shiva stcik work - they have been in the cupboard for ages and I must use them. Then at last I stitched very closely over the top, not entirely sure if stitching over the shiva stuck was a good idea but it gave a good effect.
A simple but powerful little piece, we went to Taronga zoo last week and saw real zebras, I nearly made another more realistic piece using a picture for reference, but his was my vsion of what zebras could look like. Most of my pieces are done from what I see in my mind not what is real.
So much trouble loading this little quilt! hopefuly today sees the computer behaving..

Die Schmetterlinge

2011-07-01T03:55:00.002+10:00

Just a simple butterfly, but beautiful in it's simplicity.

A photo I made last year in Biosphäre Potsdam.

I printed it on fabric, found some fabrics to compliment it

and quilted it lightly.

My animal kingdom.

(Schmetterlinge is German for butterfly)

Phylum: Arthropoda, Order: Lepidoptera

2011-07-01T00:01:00.020+10:00

When I was a child my father gave me a butterfly net. I caught butterflies, euthanized them and mounted the butterfly specimens. I learned a lot about butterflies from those experiences. Looking back on those days I have very mixed feelings.

As an adult I prefer to observe live specimens. Our farm is the perfect habitat for many species of butterflies especially Eastern Swallowtails, Giant Swallowtails and Monarchs. Each summer I look forward to the time when butterflies return to feed on the nectar of our lilacs and hydrangea bushes.

This quilt is made using a combination of hand dyed silks, silk ribbons and cottons. I made the 3D butterfly using free motion embroidery. I sandwiched a poly stabilizer between 2 layers of hand dyed silk and added another layer of wash away stabilizer with my design traced on it. Once the embroidery was finished I stitched floral wire around the edges to give the wings shape.

No butterflies were harmed in the making of this quilt.

Endangered

2011-06-30T21:49:00.004+10:00

Pentel fabric marker pen, zig textile markers, fabric paint and seta-color fabric dyes on cotton/silk voile, cotton underlay, batting and backing. Free motion thread sketching as quilting stitch. 16 1/2 x 6 inches. With acknowledgement to the WSPA Save the Urangutan campaign.

caput mortuum

2011-06-30T20:25:00.004+10:00

here's my interpretation of the 'animal kingdom' theme. the photo is of a mummified rat found under the fig tree in my back yard - printed onto silk dupion and organza, layered onto wool suiting and linen, hand dyed cotton mesh, covered in tulle, stitched, heat gunned and rubbed with oil stick.

felicity

It's A Jungle Out There

2011-06-30T19:16:00.004+10:00

I am on a mission to use up my stash so decided to use the leftovers from an African animal quilt I made for my grandson a few years ago. Included in the leftovers were some nine-patch, flying geese and star blocks which I cut up and reassembled, adding other fabrics used in the original quilt. I then quilted allover in close horizontal and vertical lines and finished with a faced backing. I am happy with the quilt except for the horizontal gold/orange fabric right in the centre so I want to go back and alter it somehow.

The sacred scarabee

2011-06-30T16:10:00.004+10:00

This is the quilt I made for animal kingdom "the sacred scarabee":

and a detail

I wanted to do something not with just 'animal' but also with 'kingdom' so I choose an animal with special meaning. The quilt is made using handdyed fabrics (not all by me), a piece of angelwire, some machine embroidery and I added three Egyptian Scarabee beads which my parents brought me from Egypt years ago.

Ant House

2011-06-30T15:52:00.002+10:00

I enjoyed reading the comments on my teaser and I've had a lot of fun with this little quilt. As soon as I heard the subject I knew what I wanted to do. I've always found ant nests and ant farms interesting.

I used a freezer paper template as a stencil and painted the ant tunnels with a mixture of bronze, gold and silver paints. The background fabric is dark brown commercial cotton. I used seed beads for the ant eggs. Still trying to decide if I should add ants or not.

The quilt measures 22 x 24cm.

Sue M.

Animal Kingdom

2011-06-30T15:31:00.005+10:00

So, here it is.

Animal kingdom has been a springboard rather than the descriptor for my challenge this time around.

The colour in the centre is from the local parrot population, and I wanted to represent the heirarchy that exists in the animal kingdom hence the triangle.

And then the greys, the destruction of the animal habitat, quilted heavily with pebbles.

Not to forget the encroaching desert.

Loved this challenge.

Felis Leo

2011-06-30T15:20:00.004+10:00

I adore cats, especially the big cats. This quilt is actually Take 2 as the first one did not go to plan.

The lioness on the right was made from a slubbed silk and a layer of organza, the eyes and inner design lines stitched off site in a hoop. I've never done that before.

The rest of the picture is a collage of several fabrics with the tree and lioness appliqued. This quiltlet is finished with a facing.

Here's looking at you, kid

2011-06-30T10:03:00.005+10:00

Initially I planned to do a gecko quilt for this challenge, but for some reason suddenly the zebra caught my attention. I screen printed this image on fabric (the paper mess I showed here was my freezer paper stencil) and quilted it in black thread, following the lines and continuing the pattern into the borders. Click on this photo for a close-up view.

For a detailed story about how I made the screen print please visit my blog (at its new address).
I had fun making this quilt and love the end result!

PS The name of the quilt popped into my head while I was quilting it and I thought it fitted the bill...

Evolution of Henry V: Threadpainting, from Drawing, From Photo

2011-06-30T01:00:00.004+10:00

Henry V

is our very popular Cat

who had a base of fans on my personal blog

"Getting My Feet Wet"

and seemed the ideal animal

from which to make an art quilt.

He is our KING!

A small preview ....

2011-06-26T16:40:00.004+10:00

I have no excuses for being so un-blog-like this challenge.

Life does have the habit of getting in the way.

But, here is a sneak peak at Animal Kingdom.

Looking forward to the reveal as always.

Sneak peek

2011-06-24T12:59:00.002+10:00

I finished my Animal Kingdom quilt! And I think it's my favourite of all the quilts I have done for this group. I love it! Too bad I can't show it yet... Here is a sneak peek - I know it's a terrible photo, but I can only show you this part of the quilt or I would give away too much...

Six more days until the unveiling of all Animal Kingdom quilts!

It's bugging me

2011-06-21T19:05:00.000+10:00

our topic 'animal kingdom'. I have lot's of inspiration for animal, but kingdom.....
So I googled it, and found out it is a Disney movie, which did not help. At all.

Animal or mineral?

2011-06-17T18:31:00.003+10:00

I know, it doesn't look like much, but this is my animal kingdom quilt in its very early stages. Right now it looks much better (though not finished yet) but I am not showing you that... It would give away too much. Just wait another two weeks!

sneak peak from the animal kingdom

2011-06-12T22:12:00.000+10:00

Here's my sneak peak for the animal kingdom, guess around I would say. I'll won't be back till the 30st, so long.

Animal Kingdom Teaser

2011-06-10T20:01:00.000+10:00

Here's a little teaser for my animal kingdom quilt. Still a little more stitching to be done.

Any guesses as to what it is??

A little Peek

2011-06-01T18:03:00.003+10:00

These are a fairly big peek at some of the fabrics in my quiltlet. I've changed my mind a couple of times as I am not as good an artist as I'd like to be. My threads are on the table tempting me.

Animal Jane

2011-05-23T18:54:00.001+10:00

Yes I can be an animal sometimes, have been trying to find the time and passion for this piece, have had the idea for some time, and have not wavered as is usually the case!
Put together some strips and some net and then some shiva sticks....
here is a taster...
Might need to buy some new Shiva sticks at the Textile Art Festival soon. Didn't get my quilt for State of the Art finished this year, but am keen to see the others' quilts. Then I will get myself organised and start on one for next year....when I have finished everything else in my cupboard.
Just dreaming

Animal kingdom

2011-05-02T16:57:00.000+10:00

Well done lynn, I am thinking about my quilt, just need to get some things finished first, have been well inspired by Hollis Chatelain this last week, but must keep myself grounded and finish some projects before I start any new ones.
My animal may have a colour change before it is finished,- small but obscure hint....
a chameleon maybe....

Animal Hint

2011-05-01T16:16:00.003+10:00

I started on my Animal Kingdom Quilt today! I will only hint that right now the background is white cotton that looks stiff and textured. That it went through the printer without problem. And although I've only used BLACK thread so far, I have several other colors picked out and waiting on my sewing table. Oh, and a drawing I did is involved. Enough hints lest I tell too much and spoil any surprises.

different final part

2011-04-02T04:03:00.003+10:00

Different?

Our next CHALLENGE

2011-04-01T21:51:00.004+10:00

WOW! What a great display of 'DIFFERENT' so far! Reveal day is always exciting and this reveal is wonderful. There are still a few to come but Linda said that today I will set the next challenge, so I will. I do hope you enjoy the next challenge topic- ANIMAL KINGDOM. The next reveal is 30th June. Go for it! Cheers, Marian

Brown

2011-04-01T21:04:00.004+10:00

Brown is a colour I don't use a lot in my quilts and a colour I never wear. I've used a hand dye from Lisa Walton. My little quilt is different in colour choice and also because it is a whole cloth quilt. Another difference is that it is hand stitched rather than the usual machine stitched. I started the quilt by using texture plates, circle templates and oil paintsticks. I enjoyed the hand stitching and will do more in future although it is time consuming and a little hard on the hands and fingers.

salvage moon

2011-04-01T15:29:00.003+10:00

here is my piece for the march 2011 challenge - the theme was 'different' and this certainly is...

it's not the piece i intended to make and not the piece it almost was. it is made from strips of painted rice paper, vellum, sheet music, painted bondaweb, cotton, xpanda paint, gesso, ink, oilsticks and red perle thread.

it was rescued at the last minute by a desperate and frenzied washing under the cold tap and then the addition of paint, stitching and oil stick.

Different/ Autumn

2011-04-01T11:18:00.003+10:00

Here is my Different quiltlet. It is Autumn, and quite different to my usual quilts in as much as it is almost colourless- no hot pink! Originally my tree was even, i.e. the trunk was in the middle and there was no wind. It was an OK picture but no WOW factor. I like this peaceful scene backlit with a golden sun much better.

Different

2011-04-01T06:07:00.009+10:00

This quilt started in January when I attended a workshop given by Cas Holmes. To be different I was not using blue, my favorite color. I used various materials including paper. Most of it was old. I used selfmade stamps, acrylic paint and ink. After I made my top it was machinequited and finished with a handstitch around the edges. My 'Different' quilt has a different size: 32 x 69 cm.

Tropical - One Shift Anti-Clockwise - Chris Daly

2011-04-01T01:00:00.002+10:00

Tropical - Seeing Red

I just don't see red when I think of my personal color wheel. Instead I use red's near neighbors, fuchsia or a magenta color. I love to use complementary colors to add visual interest. I often add chartreuse and acid green to give my quilts an extra pop.

So for this challenge I shifted my focus just one step counter-clockwise on the CMYK color wheel to red and aquamarine. I have to say I really like the results and I see more red in my future. However I did frame the quilt with a nod to my favorite colors.

To add texture to the piece I used a trupunto technique by adding a second layer of batting under the petals of the flowers. The stitches that surround the center of the flower were worked off the piece using a painted dryer sheet between 2 pieces of water soluble stabilizer. Once completed I trimmed the free motion embroidery in a ragged manner and stitched in place. I hope you like it! Chris

"Gossamer Spring" by Lynn

2011-04-01T01:00:00.000+10:00

Differences for me was not in the use of color, I will be the first to admit. I have used these same colors many times in my art quilts. Different for me was instead the use of

materials: yarn for the crocheted flowers; wire for the 3D look of the flower centers; silk neckties for the smaller flowers (okay, I have used them a couple of times recently before in small art journal quilts )...brand new hand dyed cheese cloth/gossamer when I normally only used recycled materials in my art quilts. and zippers for flower stems!

And one more difference for me would be the fact that this art quilt is entirely sewn by hand.

And the name "Gossamer Spring" is different because the "samer" in Gossamer really means summer! My little joke!

Jane different

2011-03-31T18:06:00.001+10:00

I bought fabric that I would not normally use. Then I cut it as one would use that sort of fabric according to the print, hmmmm not very inspiring. The first one was a sortof bland little quiltlet. More a dolll cover.

The second one I used the 'different' stitches on my Bernina using some thickish black quilting thread, this was fun, I found some new friends here, ones that I will use again one day. I just went along the row of stitches and did it, no selection of ones I liked.
Hmm I am still not sure, but the sickly pink colour is one that I would not normally use however the funky stitches I will use again soon.
I have just had the Twelve x Twelve book delivered yesterday, so look forward to some inspired work soon!

Jane

Holding hands

2011-03-31T16:37:00.000+10:00

This is my different quiltlet. The shape is different and the black and white too. Strictly speaking I shouldn't have used blue in this quilt (it being my favorite colour) but this colour was mandatory for my country for the European Quilt Association, for which theme "circle of friends" I also made this quilt.

Pink Peril

2011-03-31T15:39:00.000+10:00

I have to say that I found this a very difficult challenge. I am not a pink person and I procrastinated getting started on this project. I pulled the fabric from my stash and it sat on my table for weeks before I could even look at it. You don't know how pleased I am to have it completed on time.

Different?

2011-03-31T11:19:00.002+10:00

Okay, the colour is different, but the theme and the technique are quite familiar... Another difference: this is the first female gymnast in my gymnastics series, and even the first female in all of my sports quilts!

I'm thinking I may need to add another 'shadow' in the right top corner - looks a bit empty there. What do you think?

No Green to be Seen

2011-03-31T10:25:00.004+10:00

This art piece may not have green in it but it is there, implied, by the leaves. Finished this today , but it was started over seven years ago when I was exploring sunprinting. When searching through fabrics for inspiration I happened on this piece of fabric that was tucked away, and immediately saw the possiblities.

There is no green and no gold thread.

Striped and Red

2011-03-31T10:01:00.003+10:00

Here is my take 2 for this challenge.

I have made strips of colour, and laid them on a background, weaving some and leaving others.

The square that is woven is quilted with a flower motif, though I doubt this will show in the photograph.

I have extended the strips beyond the backing so they almost look like they are floating.

I am happy with it, though I didn't give it enough 'planning' thought - the logistics were difficult once it was nearly finished, but I like it.

And, an all red piece for me is definitely different.

A Little Peek - Chris Daly

2011-03-27T08:53:00.000+10:00

Almost finished. See you back here in six more days!

Not a sneak peak

2011-03-24T17:11:00.000+10:00

Because the challenge was to do something different, I thought I might try piecing some hexagonal flowers, something I never did. Of course they have to be made by english paperpiecing, but I decided that was just pushing it too much.
I made some black and white flowers (because I normally work in colour)

and then decided I would use them for another project (something arty) and do something else (I do not know what exactly) for this challenge.

colour jane

2011-03-18T15:33:00.001+10:00

I am really struggling with this challenge! I have chosen fabric in a print that I would never buy for myself, its soft and pastel and I am having difficulty. However that is the challenge isn't it? I have made one piece, but will now move out of my doldrums and get going and get it done!
I have started a blog, will try to get it onto the side bar soon, as soon as i work out how! quiltingjane.blogspot.com

different part 1

2011-03-15T21:56:00.002+10:00

Finally iI managed to come up with an idea. After a few days of hard work it's finished and this is a very little part of it. For the rest you have to wait exactly 16 days!

different peek

2011-02-28T06:31:00.004+10:00

In January I attended a workshop given by Cas Holmes. This inspired me to start a 'Different' quilt. Defenitely not using my blues, and it has a different size as well. But the most surprising of all is: it is already finished!

On My Design Wall - Chris Daly

2011-02-20T03:06:00.000+10:00

Here are my inspiration fabrics for this challenge. The smaller piece is the very first piece of fabric I dyed when learning to dye fabrics for quilting. Both pieces have been dyed and then over dyed to create contrast and depth. This is one of my favorite dyeing techniques.

Sneak peek

2011-02-17T15:55:00.002+10:00

A peek

2011-02-15T22:11:00.002+10:00

My quilts are almost without exception bright, colourful and loud. To be 'Different ' this one will be neutrals, soft and gentle.

Two More Hints

2011-02-14T12:13:00.004+10:00

Now that it's done, clean back sewn on by hand and hanging sleeve in place I have to share a few teasers. I spent a lot of time on this one...most of it by hand; and I love the outcome! Hanging in our living room!

Pink

2011-02-11T11:21:00.002+10:00

When she set us this challenge, Margeeth asked us what our favourite colour was; what colour we always used in quilts. I said I use all colours, but there is actually one colour that I never use: pink. Even as a little girl I hated pink!

So for this challenge I knew what to do... I went to my local quiltshop, took a deep breath, and bought half a metre of this very pink batik.

You will have to wait a while to see what I have done to it ;-).

Sneak Peek from Lynn

2011-02-08T15:01:00.002+10:00

I've been playing with these fabrics for several days now and today had time to spend the entire day on it so you know it is growing. Won't say when I'll call it done...but it's probably close to being. I like that a lot of barriers were dropped for this challenge including size, as mine popped out of our norm and is a bit larger. Nuff said for now. See you at the end of next month!

I feel something red coming on ....

2011-02-03T09:23:00.002+10:00

I thought perhaps red was a colour I do not work much with, so I have hunted these out for ideas.

I also have a 3D (almost installation) piece in mind. But time, is my usual curtailment as we are already one month into the challenge.

Queensland Flood Appeal Auctions

2011-01-15T12:31:00.001+10:00

You will all have heard about the catastrophic flooding in Queensland, Australia. I have joined several other quilters in a great initiative started by Toni Coward of the Make It Perfect blog, to auction a quilt online with all proceeds going to the Premier's Flood Relief Appeal.

I am auctioning this quilt:

Monstera deliciosa
40 x 40 cm (15 3/4 x 15 3/4 in)
Whole cloth quilt, reverse applique, machine quilted

For details please visit my blog. Toni's blog will have a list with participating quilters soon.

Your generosity is much appreciated, particularly by those most affected by the floods. I offer you my thanks on their behalf. Please share this auction with as many people as you can.

PS Toni's blog will have a list with participating quilters soon. Among them are Brenda Gael Smith, Lisa Walton, Dijanne Cevaal and Sally Westcott.

Self portrait: Head, Heart and Hands

2011-01-03T10:58:00.005+10:00

Here is my self-portait - at least where it is up to at this stage. I don't think it is quite finished yet - still a work in progress - as there are a few other things I would like to try out. Bit appropriate for a self-portrait actually, as I am still very much a work in progress myself, harbouring ideas that I want to play with and see if they "fit".

Next challenge

2011-01-03T01:22:00.009+10:00

Well, almost everyone has said what her favorite colour is, so now I can set the next challenge, that will be revealed on March 31st:

Different
(or difference if you prefer)

You are allowed to use anything you like in this quilt, apart from the favorite colour(s) you mentioned in your comment on the question I asked the day before. For those or you who said they don't have a favorite colour, the idea is to get you out of your comfortzone. The size I would like you to make this in is 12" x 12" or 30 cm x 30 cm, but this is not carved in stone, if you feel you need to make a different size, that's fine with me.

simone herself

2011-01-01T18:29:00.004+10:00

This Warhol was my inspiration for my selfportrait. My husband made a photograph of me and I photoshopped (my favourite way to work for this group) myself till simple black and white. Someone made a thermofax screen of the picture and that I printed several times on all kinds of handdyed fabric, simple straight quilting and a black and white binding. That's me.

Chris Daly - Pixilated

2011-01-01T02:00:00.002+10:00

Pixelated - Definition: adj. Pertaining to a printed image which has been digitized; visible as a pattern of pixels.

Pixilated - Definition: adj. eccentric, daft, whimsical, slightly insane; led astray by pixies.

Since I was a child I have marveled at Seurat's use of pointillism to create his paintings. I also thought he might be a little bit crazy to work in such detail.

Being slightly pixilated myself I thought I'd give it a try. I used Tsukineko inks on cotton print cloth to create this portrait. This piece is heavily quilted everywhere except for my face which causes that part of the quilt to pop out of the background.

Next challenge, a question

2011-01-01T01:32:00.002+10:00

Linda asked me to set the new challenge. Before I do I want to ask all members of this group a question. What is your favorite colour for quilting, what colour is almost always in the quilts you make?
Please leave a comment in which you say what colour this is. I need your answers to be able to set the new challenge, so I will wait posting it untill I have all the answers.

Me?

2011-01-01T00:39:00.011+10:00

This challenge was really difficult for me - I had no idea where or how to begin. I just couldn't make a start, drawing a blank every time I thought about it. In the end, I grabbed a handful of fabric (at 9.30pm on 31/12/10) and just started cutting, with no plan at all. What about it is me? - gray hair, green eyes, love a cuppa, the leafy fabric represents the bush I live near, the wattle fabric is for my nationality, cows are something I grew up with and now I live in a dairy farming area and enjoy watching them as they cross the road to the milking sheds.
The green childrens print says I am a grandmother - my 3rd grandchild is due today, New Years Day. The red and green on the left tells you I am a fan/supporter of South Sydney Rabbitohs (rugby league). Just under the teapot is a wrapper from a chocolate which I had while I was sewing. I don't feel this was a very creative effort but I did enjoy practicing some quilting. I hope I can do better next time.

self portret Marloes

2010-12-31T23:02:00.003+10:00

Having just made a selfportret this summer for another group I was not jumping to make another one. But then I thought of making the same thing different. So I used the same photograph and used a different technique. And I might just make more of the same ;-)

I forgot to make pictures while doing this, as it came down to a very much last minute effort. I cut the potograph in several pieces, and then cut those pieces from foam. I used these foam pieces to make a print using fabric paint. The pink surroundings were just painted with a brush.

The quilting was kept simple (but I do have to do something with my machine as the thread broke several times, not funny when you are in a hurry, actually never funny)

Wishing you all the best for next year!!